The trip to the hospital was uneventful, as no one recognized Hitomi with how her face was covered in a mask, and how Minjoo forced her to sit so no one could get close to her.

But an urgent call from her PA caused Hitomi wasn’t able to accompany Minjoo on her check-up. She left with a soft peck on her cheek and a promise to call and drive her home later.

Minjoo thought that it wasn’t necessary, but Hitomi insisted. The Alpha had no choice but to agree.

The doctor, Kwon Eunbi, was Hitomi’s friend, someone she knew because they were in the same community for Omegas with a sustainable career. A formidable woman, even when she was an Omega with a small stature.

“Kim Minjoo, 21 years old in a week, Low Alpha,” Eunbi raised an eyebrow. “And you said that you took Suppressant every day?”

“That’s correct.” Minjoo nodded, then continued to answer Eunbi’s question as best as she could until Eunbi told her to sit on the examination bed to check her vital signs.

“We will need to conduct several lab tests to see if it affected your hormone production,” Eunbi explained, looking troubled as the physician assistant finished the basic physical examination for the Alpha and reported that nothing was out of ordinary. “All is good for this basic examination, but we aren’t sure of what happened inside your body.”

The doctor gestured to the Alpha to sit back on her seat as she returned to her seat and started writing a recipe. “I will list off the lab tests required for further diagnosis. Before you are done doing the lab test, please refrain from consuming any type of Suppressant and Blockers and heed the requirements before the test.” She scribbled something more. “I advise you to lessen your consumption of this drug,” she pointed at Minjoo’s medicine, “Don't take it every day. Gradually lessen it every week. Consume a tablet every two days for the first week, then every four, and finally settle for once a week until your next rut. When was your last rut?”

"Around two or three months ago?"

"Is it cyclical?" Minjoo mumbled a 'maybe'. She wasn't sure. Her ruts were never really cyclical, almost sporadic for these past two years.  

"I see. I advise you not to take any Suppressant during your next rut. After that, please return here so I can check if there are any changes. Hopefully improvements."

“I… can do that.” Minjoo nodded, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. It was a lot to remember but Eunbi scribbled everything down for her. “Do I need to take other meds?”

“Refrain from it,” Eunbi answered almost immediately. “Antibiotics and painkillers are fine, but please consult them first.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“Um, please be very honest with me, doctor,” Minjoo heaved a deep breath. “Is it very dangerous? My situation, I mean.”

Eunbi hummed. “Minjoo-sshi.” Her tone was gentle. “If you have been using Suppressant ever since before you were presented at the age of 18, then this next rut will be your first ever full-rut. Ruts you have experienced before were not. But whether if it was dangerous or not, that can only be concluded after the test results are out. Do you have any other questions?”

“You said that the drugs dulled my Alpha-instinct. Is that the reason why I wasn’t affected by pheromones?”

Eunbi’s eyes narrowed, her expression was curious. “Explain what do you mean by affected?”

“Well, uh, I couldn’t-“ Minjoo coughed embarrassedly, her cheeks were heating up. “-get .” Minjoo coughed louder. “B-But it changed just last night!”

She expected amusement on both Eunbi’s and the Physician Assistant’s expression.

But what she saw was a well-guarded expression on both the medical personnel’s’ face.

Judging by how Eunbi seemed to stop breathing for a beat, the two were holding back horror showing up on their expression.

“Minjoo-sshi, if it doesn’t burden you, can you give us the details?”

--

“How is it going?”

Minjoo sighed to her phone. “Physically, I’m totally fine, but they don’t know what happened inside my body. What kind of damages, and all those kinds of stuff.” She chose to not reveal the thing about her ual dysfunction.

She could feel Hitomi frowning at the other end. “Have you signed up for the tests?” The Omega questioned.

“I did, yes, I’m waiting for my turn for the blood test. Doctor Eunbi signed it up for me, by the way. She said you requested it?”

“Oh yes, I did. Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry! I’m- uh, this is the first time for me to go to a hospital myself so any help is honestly welcomed! Thank you, Tomi.”

Minjoo could imagine a bright smile forming on Hitomi’s lips as the Omega nodded vigorously. “Un! Text me once you’re done.”

Minjoo smiled at Hitomi’s obviously happy voice.

“I will. Thank you again, Hitomi.”

“Don’t mention it,” Hitomi replied, happy. “Don’t forget to call me once you’re done!”

Minjoo chuckled. “Yeah, see you later, Tomi.”

Right after Hitomi ended the phone with a particularly happy “see you later”, her name was called and Minjoo would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous.

She totally won’t tell Hitomi that she fainted.

--

As she promised, Hitomi came to pick her up and even caused a scene when she greeted Minjoo who had just finished up her administration.

No, Hitomi didn’t do anything inappropriate nor provocative; but to see a well-known celebrity came strutting in confidently as if the hospital was her catwalk was a sight. She even didn’t hide from cameras as she made her way to the still oblivious Minjoo.

When the fashionista called Minjoo’s name with such affection, it was when the gawking crowd went wild.

Honda Hitomi is dating a new girl again?!

Minjoo could hear them clearly—even after Hitomi forcefully dragged her to her car after landing a not-so-short peck on her cheek; her fingers clasped tightly around the Alpha’s wrist.

The said Alpha didn’t know why the murmuring words of the people affected her so much.

--

“You’ve been quiet.”

Minjoo turned, a little startled at the first words coming from Hitomi’s mouth.

“I-” Minjoo bit her lips. She couldn’t just tell Hitomi that she felt weird having crowds whispering about her like that. And the fact that Eunbi was suspicious of her ual dysfunction due to severe prolonged use of hormone inhibitor.

“I just feel a little unwell,” she replied blandly, eyes straying outside the window, eyeing the darkening skies with false interest.

At first, the Omega narrowed her eyes, disbelieving. But it made sense. Minjoo had her blood taken, after all. “Let’s get some dinner first before we go home.”

“Nah, let’s eat at home.” And by home, she meant her apartment. Minjoo’s apartment. And by eat, she had take-away food in mind.

But Hitomi had another idea.

Obviously.

“Your apartment? Don’t be ridiculous—you haven’t restocked your groceries yet.” Hitomi paused; rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “Actually, I have but I can’t think of a good menu for dinner.”

“We can always order some pizza?” Minjoo suggested, stomach growling and mouth watering at the thought of pepperoni pizza. “I don’t mind going back to my unhealthy lifestyle, you know.”

To her surprise, her Wolf suddenly popped in her mind. “I minded, you know,” it said, rolling its eyes. “Eat some nutritious dinner, insufferable child. I expect you to return to your full health tomorrow and start working out again.”

“Honestly, shut up.”

“That can’t be good,” Hitomi tutted, frowning as she scooted a little closer. “You need some nutrients.”

“I knooowww but I’m really craving pizza,” whined Minjoo, stubbornly tuning out her Wolf’s loud ranting in her mind. She purposefully pouted her lips, taking away her spectacles just so her puppy-eyes could give their full-effect on Hitomi.

It worked.

“Fine,” sighed the Omega. Her eyes were busting uwus and she wanted to squeal. But for her own image, she held it in. “Only if we’re cuddling after dinner,” she added, eyeing Minjoo with an unreadable expression.

The Alpha thought none of it. They always cuddled during the night of staying over and she was sure last night was a one-time thing.

“Sure.”

“NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE.”

Er, no, Hitomi didn’t do anything provocative to Minjoo.

It was more like Hitomi delivered a piece of very shocking news that Minjoo couldn’t help but shout and refused it right away. With tantrums—just to make her answer clear.

After the pizza dinner, Hitomi used their cuddling time to break out the news of why she was suddenly requested to come to her office urgently. It was because of the news of Hitomi dating Minjoo finally spread out after her PR failed to reach an agreement with Dispatch.

Only an hour after the news was officially released, a renowned lifestyle magazine that was a close partner of Coloris contacted them, offering interviews and photoshoots to sway the public opinion. Hitomi wasn’t a problematic celebrity, but she had her share of haters due to her reputation as a player. Moreover, Minjoo (whom they revealed to be Model M at her request) was only an amateur model of her company.

If she wanted the public to accept their blooming relationship, they had to do something with it. Hitomi didn’t want the public to think of Minjoo as a gold-digger or as her sugar baby (even though the latter was true, to a degree).

And since Hitomi believed in Minjoo’s capability in modeling, she accepted the offer.

Now, for Minjoo to accept it however was a different matter entirely.

“Oh come on!”

“No!” Minjoo insisted, trying to pry herself from Hitomi again. She had to escape before Hitomi could attack her with puppy-eyes! “I’m not doing it! I’m not doing it!”

“It’s only a photoshoot.”

“A couple photoshoots!” Minjoo squeaked. “Of a really renowned magazine! Your website is okay, since it’s not- um, people don’t really look at me- but your clothes.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is for me!” whined the Alpha, finally giving up on prying herself away from Hitomi who had her arms around her in a death grip. She settled on burying her face on Hitomi’s blonde locks instead. “What if I didn’t do it right?”

“You’ll do excellently,” Hitomi tried to assure, her fingers rubbing soothing circles on Minjoo’s back. “I believe in you. And hey- you’re going to do it with me! I’ll make sure you won’t it up, I promise!”

Minjoo pulled away a little. Her eyebrows were furrowed. She looked like she wanted to tell something, but she shook her head shortly after, dismissing whatever it was.

“Okay,” she sighed defeatedly with closed eyes, missing Hitomi’s triumphant smirk as she returned to her original position. “Okay,” she repeated a little softer, affected by the foreboding feeling gnawing at the back of her mind.